News Release: Internet Just Became More Dangerous

(Harrisburg) – Today the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has moved closer to allowing an XXX domain for pornographic sites. The American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA), a pro-decency organization, opposes such an unwise step which would further make the World Wide Web a dangerous place for children and adults alike.

“For six years ICM Registry has been trying to convince ICANN to make the XXX domain available. Nothing has changed in those six years that makes an XXX domain safer. The 5 to 6 million porn sites in the .com world are doing enough damage to society and a voluntary use of the XXX domain will only increase the number of porn sites and the damage done,” Diane Gramley, president of the AFA of PA remarked in response to the news.

An earlier proposal by ICM Registry, LLC, which hopes to provide registry service for the Triple-X domain if it is created, stated that the Registry Operator “will prohibit child pornography” (Appendix S, Part 8, at p. 86) . But it also noted that the Registry Operator will ‘promote the principles set forth in the UN’s Declaration of Human Rights related to free expression’ (Appendix S, Part 8, at p. 90). Does the current proposal working through ICANN have those same statements?

In 2005 ICM Registry chairman Stuart Lawley said, ‘Apart from child pornography, which is completely illegal, we’re really not into the content-monitoring business.’

Does the above statement and the ‘promotion of principles set forth in the UN’s Declaration on Human Rights’ mean obscenity will be permitted on the XXX domain sites? How does the UN define ‘free expression?’ Perhaps Mr. Lawley and ICM Registry need to be reminded that obscenity in addition to child pornography are illegal in the United States.

“ICM Registry says the new domain will be a ‘voluntary self regulatory community’ meaning exactly what? If it doesn’t offend a pornographer it’s okay to be on the XXX domain? As ICANN looks over this proposal during the next six to eight months, it needs to take into consideration the even greater proliferation of pornography in this brave new world they are creating,” Gramley said.